Work

Addition of Chinese medicinal herbal residues promotes the removal of antibiotic resistance genes during pig manure composting

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Aerobic composting is an effective methods for reducing antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) present in livestock and poultry manure. Chinese medicinal herbal residues (CMHRs) are rich in nutrients and antibacterial components, which may inhibit the spread of ARGs and MGEs. This study investigated the effects of adding different proportions of CMHRs added (0%, 10%, 30%, and 50% of the initial compost mixture mass) on ARGs and MGEs during pig manure composting. The results showed that CMHRs shortened the time required to reach the high-temperature stage and increased compost temperature. At the end of composting, the total nitrogen (TN) and available phosphorus (AP) levels in the M2 treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group, reaching 8.11 g/kg and 333.73 mg/kg, respectively. High-throughput qPCR analysis showed that the total removal rates of ARGs after composting were 27.10%, 36.04%, 65.55%, and 40.55%, respectively; the corresponding removal rates of MGEs were 19.25%, 56.20%, 65.32%, and 14.03%, respectively; The 30% treatment was the most effective, with removal rates of aminoglycosides, β-lactam, multidrug resistance, sulfonamides, and tetracycline resistance genes of 78.09%, 81.11%, 74.09%, 54.27%, and 61.24%, respectively. Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the dominant phyla in the compost. Clostridium-sensu-stricto1 , Corynebacterium , Terrisporobacter , Anaerococcus , and Romboutsia were potential major hosts of ARGs and MGEs. During composting, changes in temperature and MGEs directly and significantly affected ARGs, while total organic carbon (TOM) and TN indirectly affected ARGs by regulating microbial communities. In conclusion, the addition of 30% CMHRs effectively reduces ARGs and MGEs in pig manure compost. These findings provide a basis for the use of CMHRs to reduce the spread of ARGs during pig manure composting.

Source: Frontiers in Microbiology

DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1932472

Authors: Bo Wang, Lanlan Tian, Yibo Wang, Zexing Tian, Yanrong Yang

Institution: Tianshui Normal University

Language: English

Topic: Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts

Subfield: Pollution

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801